Desperate for your 15 minutes of fame? Here are some art of making home videos and getting the best possible publicity for them online. Where others have succeeded, why shouldn’t you?
LonelyGirl15 is undeniably a legend as far as home videos go. The breakout web hit, shot at home by amateurs, drew a massive cult following internationally and eventually brought lead actress Jessica Rose and the rest of the crew to fame in Hollywood. It is now inspiring young wannabe actors and directors. Internationally, there have been plenty of such homegrown video series that tried to emulate the success of LonelyGirl15, but slowly the bug seems to have bitten creative young minds in India too.
If Rose can make it big in Hollywood with just a webcam and a one-room studio, what’s stopping creative minds from shooting to fame on the internet? With umpteen video hosting sites and dirt cheap video cameras, truly, the world is your stage.
So, if you think you can direct like Karan Johar, here’s a two step process that can turn you into a celebrity overnight.
Step 1: Shoot well
Lets face it. No matter how cute you think your baby videos are, there is no way these will land you a plum project in Bollywood, let alone Hollywood. Creativity and content is the key if you plan to attract any kind of viewership. Here is a rundown of ‘must haves’ for your masterpiece.
a) Pick your weapon
First off, get this straight: You don’t need a high-end camera to shoot a video for the internet. LonelyGirl15, for instance, used normal web cameras that come for about Rs 1,000. A slightly better picture quality won’t hurt, however, so it’s a good idea to invest in a miniDV camera that captures 720 x 480-pixel footage.
b) Storyline is a must
Endless inane shots of you lounging by the seaside might be good for your holiday videos but if you are planning to create a web-series, and then make sure you have a tidy story idea in place.
It’s not necessary you create your own stories or rope in high profile script writers to do the job. You can very well pick stories from books, magazines or real life—just make sure you give proper credit to the source (sometimes authors prefer that you take prior permission, check for cases like this).
c) Get clear shots
The quickest way to lose your viewers is through jarring, blurred shots, so if you want people to follow your show, keep it steady. Creative angles now and then are OK but shake too much and you’ll shake off your audience too. A tripod is definitely in order. If you don’t have one, find a flat surface to rest your camera on.
In cases where it’s imperative you lift the camera in your hand, lean against a wall or tree to stabilize yourself.
It’s also a good idea to get as many shots as you can from as many directions as possible. This is called coverage, and it makes your film more visually appealing.
d) Audio has to be crystal clear
Audio is another important ingredient, and no, the built-in mike on your video cam won’t do! Get yourself a tie clip type of mike and tag it on your actors while you shoot, or pick one of those external variety and hang it near the crew.
For scenes that don’t have any dialogues, dubbing music is a good idea.
e) Light your subjects
Imagination just doesn’t cut with viewers, so if they can’t see your cast it’s a quick goodbye. Indoor shoots have big problems with backlighting and shadows, so shoot outside as much as possible.
While shooting inside, use white thermacoal sheets to bounce off light to fill in shadows on faces, if need be. Put up extra pair of table lamps and place them depending on the camera angle for extra effect.
f) Chop them to size
Lastly, editing your video to a crisp size is a definite make or break.
Use free programs like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker to splice the best takes into a final video. And yes, remember you are living in the world of instant gratification, so keep your show under 10 minutes—that’s the max your viewers can stand.
Step 2: Share it right
OK, so you got your film in the box, now comes the next big part of actually airing the show and luring viewers. Here are a few checks to make your show is air-worthy.
a) Check for size
Size is very important if you are looking at uploading the video. Save your video in a web-friendly size and format—MPEG-4 is a good option, while size should be just under 40 to 50 MB.
b) Pick a host
There are options galore. While you pick a host, keep in mind the size limits and the kind of viewership the host site flaunts.
c) Spread the word
Finally, it’s most important to spread the word about what a great video you have made. To do this, put links of your video in your blogs, email your friends and ask them to pass it on.
Submit your film to as many directory websites as possible. Some good places to start off with are iFilm (www.iflim.com), Google Video (video.google.com) and Revver (www.revver .com).
Another good idea is to add your RSS feed to video pod cast directories at the IdiotVox, Yahoo! Podcasts, PodNova and such. Most of these sites also let you review and rate the show.
It’s a good idea to tell your friends and relatives to vote. And lastly, monitor your viewer comments regularly. Be responsive to suggestions and incorporate changes if and when you can. Remember, a good word on the internet spreads fast.
LonelyGirl15 is undeniably a legend as far as home videos go. The breakout web hit, shot at home by amateurs, drew a massive cult following internationally and eventually brought lead actress Jessica Rose and the rest of the crew to fame in Hollywood. It is now inspiring young wannabe actors and directors. Internationally, there have been plenty of such homegrown video series that tried to emulate the success of LonelyGirl15, but slowly the bug seems to have bitten creative young minds in India too.
If Rose can make it big in Hollywood with just a webcam and a one-room studio, what’s stopping creative minds from shooting to fame on the internet? With umpteen video hosting sites and dirt cheap video cameras, truly, the world is your stage.
So, if you think you can direct like Karan Johar, here’s a two step process that can turn you into a celebrity overnight.
Step 1: Shoot well
Lets face it. No matter how cute you think your baby videos are, there is no way these will land you a plum project in Bollywood, let alone Hollywood. Creativity and content is the key if you plan to attract any kind of viewership. Here is a rundown of ‘must haves’ for your masterpiece.
a) Pick your weapon
First off, get this straight: You don’t need a high-end camera to shoot a video for the internet. LonelyGirl15, for instance, used normal web cameras that come for about Rs 1,000. A slightly better picture quality won’t hurt, however, so it’s a good idea to invest in a miniDV camera that captures 720 x 480-pixel footage.
b) Storyline is a must
Endless inane shots of you lounging by the seaside might be good for your holiday videos but if you are planning to create a web-series, and then make sure you have a tidy story idea in place.
It’s not necessary you create your own stories or rope in high profile script writers to do the job. You can very well pick stories from books, magazines or real life—just make sure you give proper credit to the source (sometimes authors prefer that you take prior permission, check for cases like this).
c) Get clear shots
The quickest way to lose your viewers is through jarring, blurred shots, so if you want people to follow your show, keep it steady. Creative angles now and then are OK but shake too much and you’ll shake off your audience too. A tripod is definitely in order. If you don’t have one, find a flat surface to rest your camera on.
In cases where it’s imperative you lift the camera in your hand, lean against a wall or tree to stabilize yourself.
It’s also a good idea to get as many shots as you can from as many directions as possible. This is called coverage, and it makes your film more visually appealing.
d) Audio has to be crystal clear
Audio is another important ingredient, and no, the built-in mike on your video cam won’t do! Get yourself a tie clip type of mike and tag it on your actors while you shoot, or pick one of those external variety and hang it near the crew.
For scenes that don’t have any dialogues, dubbing music is a good idea.
e) Light your subjects
Imagination just doesn’t cut with viewers, so if they can’t see your cast it’s a quick goodbye. Indoor shoots have big problems with backlighting and shadows, so shoot outside as much as possible.
While shooting inside, use white thermacoal sheets to bounce off light to fill in shadows on faces, if need be. Put up extra pair of table lamps and place them depending on the camera angle for extra effect.
f) Chop them to size
Lastly, editing your video to a crisp size is a definite make or break.
Use free programs like iMovie or Windows Movie Maker to splice the best takes into a final video. And yes, remember you are living in the world of instant gratification, so keep your show under 10 minutes—that’s the max your viewers can stand.
Step 2: Share it right
OK, so you got your film in the box, now comes the next big part of actually airing the show and luring viewers. Here are a few checks to make your show is air-worthy.
a) Check for size
Size is very important if you are looking at uploading the video. Save your video in a web-friendly size and format—MPEG-4 is a good option, while size should be just under 40 to 50 MB.
b) Pick a host
There are options galore. While you pick a host, keep in mind the size limits and the kind of viewership the host site flaunts.
c) Spread the word
Finally, it’s most important to spread the word about what a great video you have made. To do this, put links of your video in your blogs, email your friends and ask them to pass it on.
Submit your film to as many directory websites as possible. Some good places to start off with are iFilm (www.iflim.com), Google Video (video.google.com) and Revver (www.revver .com).
Another good idea is to add your RSS feed to video pod cast directories at the IdiotVox, Yahoo! Podcasts, PodNova and such. Most of these sites also let you review and rate the show.
It’s a good idea to tell your friends and relatives to vote. And lastly, monitor your viewer comments regularly. Be responsive to suggestions and incorporate changes if and when you can. Remember, a good word on the internet spreads fast.
